German Freedom ‘Under Threat’ States Merz as He Warns Against ‘Dictated Peace’ in the Eastern European Nation
Kicking off the discussion in the Bundestag, Chancellor Friedrich Merz set out the critical issues this autumn, stating that the nation faces decisions “not about details, but about very fundamental issues” that will shape its future.
“We must take a sober look at reality in order to select the correct path for our nation,” he said.
He stressed that “our freedom is endangered” with a increasing “feeling of vulnerability,” adding that the country’s economic model is also “strained” from “an emerging trend in protectionism.”
He also warned against “factions at home and abroad” that question unity and weaken the nation’s democratic foundations.
On defense matters, he started by noting that the Moscow’s aggression of Ukraine “has a very concrete impact on our lives,” and asserted: “We want this war to end.”
But he conceded that “there is reason to fear it will continue for some time.”
The chancellor emphasized that “concluding the conflict at the expense of Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity is out of the question,” and alerted that “an imposed resolution” could “only encourage the Russian leader to seek his next target.”
He then condemned recent Moscow’s unmanned aerial violations into Poland and the Romanian airspace.
“Putin has long been testing the limits,” he commented, but made clear:
We will not allow this.
‘National Defense Readiness Is Essential’, Merz Affirms
Merz reiterated his frequent stance on national security, asserting:
Our aim is to be able to defend ourselves so that we won’t need to defend ourselves.
But he also made a wider argument about the necessity of modernizing the country, its emergency preparedness systems, and the military.
He also addressed trade, including looking for new partners “in an increasingly complex world.”
He noted that “the distinction between internal and external affairs is simply obsolete,” as the state’s initiatives abroad “help maintain liberty, stability and economic well-being at home.”
He also referenced progress on his government’s mission to lower the number of asylum applications in response to increasing immigration challenges.
